Artists gherao Jupally Krishna Rao, demand jobs and filling of vacancies

Artists staged a protest at Ravindra Bharathi and gheraoed Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, demanding jobs and filling of vacancies in Samskruthika Sarathi. They alleged that promises of jobs and pensions made before the 2023 Assembly elections remained unfulfilled.

Hyderabad: Tension prevailed at Ravindra Bharathi on Thursday after Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao was gheraoed by artists demanding jobs and the filling of existing vacancies.

The artists fell at the feet of the Minister and blocked his convoy. Raising slogans, they squatted in front of his vehicles and prevented them from leaving Ravindra Bharathi. MLC Shankar Naik, who accompanied the Minister, tried to convince the protesters, but they did not relent.

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The artists have been staging protests since Wednesday. When the Minister arrived at his office at Ravindra Bharathi, the artists demanded that vacancies in Samskruthika Sarathi be filled at the earliest.

The artists said the Congress had promised jobs and pensions to them before the 2023 Assembly elections. Three years on, none of the promises had been fulfilled, they alleged.

Several representations had been submitted to the Minister in this regard, but there had been no response, they said. Videos of the protest were also shared on various social media platforms.

In a video, the visibly annoyed Minister was heard telling the protesters, “If you want my support, give up the protest, or else it is up to you.”

Amid police security, the Minister boarded his convoy and left the venue.